Gas producer for use with automotive mechanisms



Jam., s 1924. mgm

w. w. ODELL GAS PRODUCER FOR USE WITH' AUTOMOTIVE MECHANISMS Filednec. v, i921 2 sneetssma@ jan. s, 1924. A mmm W. W. ODELL GAS PRODUCER FOR USE WITH AUTOMOTIVE MECHANISMS lFiled Dec. 1921 2 Sheetsheet '2 I l I l 'l l reame aan.. s, ieee..

Mdm@

WILLIAM W. ODELI, OF WASHI NGTON, DISTRICT 0F COLUMBIA..

GAS PRODUCER FOR USE WITH AUTOMOTIVE MECHANISMS.

application mea December 7, 1921. semaine. 520,530.

To au whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. ODELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, D. C., have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas Produeers for Use with Automotive Mechanisms, of which the following'is a specification.

The ordinary type of gas producer as used with various fuels is not suitable for use on motor vehicles'even when made of a size proportional to the gas demand. y The brick work in such a producer, when sufficiently light, will not stand the vibration; the fuel storage capacity is too small; the wearing parts are not quickly and easily replaceable; gas can not be generated rapidly enough after a brief shutdown or stop; fuel can not be charged Without interfering with the gas supply; and the cooling system is not as economical as is necessary for this pur- Also the control of moisture admitted pose. to the generator is not automatic in present apparatus. It is my ob3ect to provide a gas producer with cooling system, `suitable for use on motor vehicles, power boats, locomotives, cars, traction engines, and the like. and also for small power units, and which has the following particular and characteristic featuresz.

(1) An unusually zine.

(2) A means of charging fuel into magazine without interfering with the gas supi (3) A means of removing ash and clinker without interfering With the gas supply.

(11) A reverse valve. connection whereby the producer can be instantly converted from a down draft producer to an up draft producer, or vice versa.

. (5) A means of cooling the gas by both air and water in one apparatus. l

(6) A means of cooling and purifying the gas and simultaneously recovering the heat transferred in the process of cooling.

(7) A device for forcing air into the cooler and generator by means of the motion of the vehicle, thus reducing lthe vacuum on the engine.

(8) A cushion suspended, quickly removable and replaceable generator lining consisting of but one or at most a few parts and bottomless or nearly so.

(9) A generator lining suspended in the large fuel storage magathe producer for the fuel supply,

air used for gas making for the purposes of cooling Ithe outer casing and preheating the air.

(10) A quickly removable hopper base l(magazine base) Which forms an annular gas off-take space forI up draft gas, and which is so designed as to support the weight of the fuel in the magazine. l

(11) A generator without a grate or tuy`eres. (12) A means of starting and producing combustible gas quickly' after brief stand-by periods by the use of liquid or colloidal fuel enricher. n

(13) A generator with a carbonizing chamber for .carbonizing and driving off the tarry vapors from wood and other fuels.

(14) A combination in a producer of a suction and a pressure producer; the amount of air supplied under pressure being quite a definite relative amount.

(15) A means of auton'iatically and uniformly distributing the water over'the surface of the gas cooler and au-tomatically regulating the supply of moisture to the generator.

(16) An air cooled producer shell with means for circulating the air for the purpose of reducing radiation losses. '4

(17) A means of preventino the filler in the purifier' from bunching in the middle and permitting the .gas to pass up around the walls.

In Figure 1 is shown a vertical sectional view of the producer and gas cooler complete.4

Figs. Q, Sand 4 are detail views partly in i vertical section and partly in elevation showing various modified forms of the generator pot or producer lining which have been found satisfactory in my apparatus.

Figs. 5, and 7 are lan sections on lines 5 5, 6 6 and 7-7 of) Figs. 2, 3 and 4 respectively. It will be noted that the various parts of are lettered in capitals while the cooler and other parts are designated by small letters.

In Figure 1 A is the storage magazine B is the outer shell of the producer proper, C is the air space between inner and outer shells, D is the generator pot or producer lining, E and E1 are the packing ring support/s for the generator pot, F is-the air intake-t0 the air Spa@ .to the cooler after leaving the producer. J

is the lever used to operate the valves l( and L which make the producer an up draft or a down draft producer accordingly as the air is admitted through L or l respectively. Preferably the gas valve l is connected to the blast valve operating lever J whereby it may be operated in synchronism with the air valves L and K. M is the hopper base (fuel magazine base) and N is the annular space for gas when the producer is operated by up draft and for air when operated as a down draft producer. O is the fuel bedin the generator pot, l is the air space in which the generator pot is suspended. Q, is the ash pit and R is the door for removing ashes. S is the blower for starting a tire in the generatorpol' or for bringing fuel hed up to operating temperature after standby periods. T is the liquid fuel storage tank and U is the valve controlling the supply of liquid fuel to the fuel hed. V is an insulating covering of the producer, V

is the lid of fuel magazine and X-is thc. floor supporting the. ashes and fuel. The parts designated by small letters are as. follows: at is the airinlet to the purifier and cooler which latter has an outer shell b' and an inner shell c with baffles (l in between. e is the outlet ,for hot air from cooler; f' is the water reservoir for supplying water to the cooling surface and g is the. water supply pipe to this reservoir. h is the wicking or fibrous surface surrounding shell lc. and i is a wire gauzeor screen surrounding and holding wicking h in place. le. is the producer gas ofltake from the cooler to the engine not lshown. and a' is the gas inlet to cooler. fm is the liquid seal and n is the automatic overflow for tarry matter or other condensate. .a is a dust clean-out and-drain for excess water fed to cooler; 71 is a screen over air inlet a. The rings for holding the purifying material in place are shown at r, and s is the purifying material. -To operate this producer l proceed as follows:

A fire is kindled in D Fig. 1 and fuel is added `till the magazine A is about full.

lThe cover `W is left open and the air fan H is started, supplying air to the fuel bed from beneath. and blasting is continued until the fuel bed is sufficiently hot for gas making purposes. During this blasting period valve l is turned so that none of the blast gasl can pass out through it. The cover is now closed and the blast lfrom S discontinued and Valve l is turned as shown` QinFig. l. Lever J is also placed in posi- .'tion als shown in Fig. l. so that the producer air supply comes through F into air operated in isynehroni'sm.7 the moving masones space C around the producer and through valve L to the fuel bed from beneath, and gas is generated in fuel bed 0 by the well known producer gas reactions. rEhe engine is started and sucks the gas from the producer by the following route: gas from fuel bed O passes tos ace N above fuel bed, through otake and valve l, thence through pipe to the cooler and purifier, through filling material s and out through and fg to the engine. The complete course of the air to the producer is from p around the innershell of the cooler as directed by baffles d, out through e and F toA C and from there to the fuel bed through valves K or L according to the position of lever J.

At times lt find it desirable to operate thc producer as a down draft producer for the purposes of maintaining` a more uniform tem erature in the fuel bed; relieving clin er troubles by changing not only the temperature in the lower fuel mass but also the nature of the atmosphere prevailing in this zone; preventing the passage of excess of fuel into the ash; for carbonizing fuel and forcracking oil or other liquid fuel. By operating lever J so that either valves K or L are open, and thus -`simultaneously adjusting valve I to takethe gas from H or from G accordingly, the producer is at once a down draft or an up draft producer. rlhis arrangement permits'charging the fuel magazine without interfering with the gas supply since during this period the producer is operated as a down draft producer. Likewise the ash is removed through the cleanout door R without afecting the gas supply since during this operation the producer is operated as an updraft producer.

As the gas from l passes through dip pipe o and seal m and on through the cooler it is not only cooled Abut is also purified and freed from tarry matter by contact with purifying material @which may be` glass wool, mineral wool. or other contact material. The sensible heat of this gas is imparted to the metal shell c which is so arranged that water coming into the reservoir f from g overflows and luniformly distributes itself over the surface c b v means of the wicbng or fibrous material arranged at h around c for this purpose. This wicking not only distributes the water uniformly over the surface c but, due to the greater surface exposed and the. nature of the material, a more rapid evaporation takes place and a greater cooling action results. In this manner it is possible `to supply the producer with air of a higher degree of saturation than otherwise. When the valve l is directly connected to the lever l it is evident that the gas regulating means and the air valves will be parts controlling both the air supply and the direction of the gas. lt should be noted that ill() tao? life of the latter. The Weight of the the supply of moisture is automatically controlled, for obviously when the fuel bed is not particularly hot the gas will not impart as much heat to the shell c as when the fuel bed is very hot under which latter condition the temperature ot' the gas leaving producer is higher and consequently more evaporation takes place per unit volume of air space surrounding c. This increase in the moisture content of the air causes a greater cooling ofthe fuel bed and affords an automatic check on sudden temperature changes in the fuel bed.

The air which comes into the outer shell b of the cooler and through p under pressure-,- (due to the motion of the vehicle with p facing towards the direction of travell-also aids in coolingvthe gas and condensing the tarry matter since its temperature is increased in passing `to e. This moist air is further heated in air space C surrounding producer. 'The air is forced to travel around the producer since itis supplied at the opposite side from which it enters the producer proper through valves K and L.

vI find that the generator pot D is best able to twithstand vibration and shock when'it is suspended on packing rings as shown at E an( E, which are capable of absorbing the shock. These rings constitute a cushion suspension for the generator pot D and also afford a means of sealing chamber N from chamber l. This generator pot is suspended in the air from which the producer gas is made and the hottest part of the pot is most exposed thus allovvmgthe maximum superheating of the moist air and the mini mum amount of radiation.

While in the present embodiment of the invention packing rings are employed for the purpose of absorbing the shock and vibration of the generator pot incident to road travel, it is obvious that other cushioning means may be employed. For exam le, generator pot D might be suspended flfom the outer casing of shell B by means of springs or other shock absorbers.

A large part of the weight of the fuel is supported by other means than by the fuel or generator pot. which feature prolongs the fiuel is supported largely by the bottom liningl X and by the removable hopper bottom M which is designed to support the weight of the fuel in the magazine A.

I have found that after a stand-hy period when the temperature in the fuel bed is not high enough to allow the immediate production of the best quality gas a quick start can be made and without inconvenience by admitting a small amount of liquid fuel through valve U intothe fuel bed; this can be done regardless of Whether the producer is being operated as a down draft or as an up draft producer. When'the o'ilused is relatively heavy and the temperature in the fuel bed is comparatively low, the producer should be operated as a down draft producer during the oil injection to promote gasification and cracking of the oil, but with light oils this is not necessary. While the oil is being admitted the roducer is operated in the usual manner an the lean producer gas is enriched with oil as and the engine can be started at once. hen the producer as is suflicientlyrich to'run the engine the oi supply is shut ofil by closing valve U. The same resultmay be accomplished without the use of oil by employing air blast S meanwhile Wasting the lean gas by opening valve t provided for the pur ose.

This producer is so esigned that wood or other fuel can be carbonized and' subsequently used as fuel in the same apparatus which I find enables me to use wood chips and other cheap fuel, particularly when the producer is not in continuous use twenty four hours a day. To accomplish this I fill the chamber A with Wood chips or other fuel, preferably just after a shut down, and leave lid W partly open; after standing over a limited period of time the wood is converted into charcoal due 'to the action of heat with an insufficient supply of air for complete combustion. When the carbonizing time is brief and the action must-be hurried I open the ash-pit door slightly thus producing a natural draft, causing some combustion to take place and the generation of sufficient heat for carbonization. This is also accomplished by the momentary use of' the fan S after charging fuel and when W or t is open; on standing the fuel is carbonized sufficiently to make first class ashless fuel (approximately ashless when Wood is the fuel used) and one that does not clinker, or cause clinker troubles.

When fuel is used which produces a smoke on starting the fire I do not leave cover W open When blasting the fuel but instead allow the blast gas to pass through valve I and out into the air, through valve t.

The generator pot of one or twopiececonstruction,.bottomless or nearly so, and

built on the order of a crucible is a charac# teristic feature of my invention. This pot may be round in horizontal section, elliptical lor of other shape but the most satisfactory lresults are obtained with the vforms men'- tioned. The pot is made of fire resisting material and may be composed of graphite, graphite composition, special metals or alloys, Ere clay materials` carborundum` or other refractory material.` The advantages gained are: simplicitv of construction, ease of replacing, long life, opportunity to suspend pot in a' gaseous atmosphere and a means of eliminating the usual tuyere.

I recognize that the principle of making producer gas is old and I do not claim it lift as my own. rl`he apparatus herein described odors a better means ot making this gas for the purpose intended and therefore,

l claim,

1. ln a p-roducer gasgenerator, adapted for use with automotive mechanisms, a generator chamber containing vsolid combustible fuel comprising a cushion-suspended pot partially open at the bottom.

2. ln a producer gas generator, adapted :for use with automotive mechanisms, a frencrator chamber containing solid com ustible fuel partially open at the bottom and cushion-suspended in a gaseous atmosphere.

3.A gas producer adapted for use with automotive mechanisms. including a generator lining cushion suspended in the Vair used for gas making.

4l. A gas producer adapted for use in automotive mechanisms, comprising -in -combination, an outer casing. an inner generator pot containing a fuel bed. anda cushionsuspension for said generator pot `within said casing.

5. A gas producer adapted for [use in automotive mechanisms` comprising in combination., an omer casing, a packing ring carried by said casing. an inner generator pot containing the-fuel bed and-supported upon saidpacking ring.

6. A gas producer adapted for use in auto motive mechanisms, comprising an outer casing, packing rings carried by said casing, an inner generator casing adapted to hold the fuel bed, said inner casing having a flange adjacent its upper portion adapted to be secured between said packing rings whereby said pot is cushion-suspended within the outer casing. and means for supplying air to the space between the outer casing and the inner casing below the flange, whereby the air is superheated by contact with the walls of the inner casing prior to its entry into the fuel bed.

ln a gas producer adapted for use in automotive mechanisms. a hollow outer jacket, a generator pot cushion-suspended lwithin the jacket the pot being open at the top and partially open at the bottom. means for supplying air to the hollow jacket, valves opening from said jacket to the spaces above and below the point of suspension ot said pot. and a reversing means 'for simultaneously operating said valves to close the one.

and open the other wherebyy said producer is converted from a downdrat`t to an up-draitt producer or vice-versa. j

8. .A gas producer adapted for use with automotive mechanisms comprising a hollow outer shell` a generator pot cushion suspended within the jacket and open at top and bottom., a fuel feeding hopper continuously open to the generator pot andhaving a capacity relatively large with respect-to the generator, said hopper being provided rescues with a base resting upon said hollow outer shell and sloping gently toward the center of the generator pot whereby an air space is j formed above the fuel bed in said generator pot, and means for supplying air from the ollow casing to the spaces above and. below the point of suspension ot the generator pot.

9. A gas vproducer comprising a hollow outer shell., an inner generator pot having a flange adjacent its upper portion, a pair of packin rings on the inner surface of said outer shel adapted to receive the flange of said generator pot between them, thus providing a scushion suspension for said generator pot,

' l0. A gas producer adapted for use with automotive mechanisms, comprising an outer shell, agenerator pot adapted to containv the fuel bed, said pot being cushion-suspended within the outer shell, a fuel feeding hopper having a capacity relatively large with respect to the generator pot, said hopper being provided with a base resting upon the said outer casing and sloping gently downwardly toward the center of the generator pot, whereby a substantial portion lof the weight of the fuel issupported independently of the generator pot.

119A gas producer comprising a hollow outer shell, an inner generator vpot having a flange adjacent its upper` portion, a pair of packing rings on the inner surface of said outer shell adapted to form a cushion suspension for said generator pot; one being located above and the other supporting said flange, whereby gas-tight jointsvare provided between the generator pot and the outer casing. a relatively large fuel supply hopper provided with a base having a relatively gentle downward and inward slope, and resting upon the top ot the outer casing and spaced above the generator pot,means for alternately admitting air to the spaces above and below the said packing rings, and means tor withdrawing gas trom the space opposite that at which air is admitted.

12. A gas producer adapted for use iny automotive mechanisms comprising an outer casing, packing rings carried by said Icasing, an inner generator casing adapted to contain the fuel bed, said inner casing having a ange adjacent its upper portion and; adapted to be secured between said packing rings, whereby said pot is cushion suspended within the outer casing, and a hopper provided with a gently sloping base communieating with the fuel bed of said inner casing and supported upon the outer casing.

13. Agas producer tor use with automotive mechanisms comprising a solid fuel supply hopper and a generator pot having direct and 'free communication therewith whereby the passage of solid fuel is continuous vfrom one to the other, and priming means for at times enriching the gas pronasoaee fuel passage leading through the fue in the hopper to the inner zone of the generator pot. y

la, ln an apparatus for producing gaseous fuel a combination of an updraft and a down-draft gas producer instantly convertible from the-one to the other with a means for making this change consisting in a direct connected valve arrangement for operatin in synchronism the moving parts contro ling the air supply and the direction of the gas. t

l5. A. gas producer adapted for'use with automative mechanisms comprising 'an outer shell, a enerator potadapted to contain the fuel be and cushion suspended within the outer shell, and a fuel feeding hopper coni tinuously open to the fuel bed of said generator pot and having a base resting upon the outer shell or casing, whereby a substantial portion oi the weight of the fuel is supported independently of the generator pot.

16., ln a gas producer adapted for use with. automotive mechanisms, a hollow outer jacket, a generator pot suspended Within the jacket and open at top and bottom, a fuel hopper continuously open to the generator pot and having a base resting upon said hollow outer jacket, means for supplying air to the hollow jacket, and valves opening from said jacket to spaces above and below the point of suspension ont said pot.

l?, ln an apparatus including a producer and condenser for producing gaseous fuel suitable for use in automotive mechanisms a means of supplying cool air to the condenser under pressure and hot saturated air to the produced under pressure consisting in a funnel shaped air inlet to the condenser facing inthe direction oi' motion of the vehicle and of sudicient size to produce the desired pressure,

18. A producer gas generator for use with automotive mechanisms comprising an outer casing, and a generator pot adapted to receive combustible fuel, said pot being cushion suspended within the outer casing by means of shock absorbin devices.

19. A generator for ma ing producer gas for use with automotive mechanisms comprisin g an. outer casing, a generator pot con taining the fuel bed suspended wit-hin the outer casing, and shock absorbing means interposed between said pot and outer casingo 20. ln a reducer gas generator adapted for use wit automotive mechanisms, a removable rateless generator chamber containing so id combustible-fuel, comprising a cushion suspended pot open at vthe bottom.

21. lin a producer gas generator, adapted v for use with automotive mechanisms, a grateless generator chamber containing solid combustible matter, said chamber being open at the bottom and cushion suspended in a gaseous atmosphere.

22. ln an apparatus for producing gaseous fuel, a combination of an up-draft and a down-draft gas producerinstantly convertible from one to the other, includin a removable generator pot cushion suspen ed in the air used for gas making when operated as an up-draft producer, and suspended 'in the gas made when used as a down-draft producer, and means for changing the device from an 11p-draft to a down-draft producer, consisting in a direct connected valve arrangement fo-r operating in synchronism the moving parts controlling the air supply and the direction of the gas.

23, A gas producer adapted for use in automotive mechanisms, comprising in combination an outer casing, an inner removable generator pot containing the fuel bed and consisting of one piece, and a cushion sus-v pension for said generator pot.,

2d. A. producer gas generator for use with automotive mechanisms, vcmrnprising an outer casin a removable grateless generator pot containing the uel bed suspended within the outer casing, and shock absorbing means in terposed between said pot and outer casing.

WlLLlAll/l W. @DELL 

